Improvement in swings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. JOHNSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 182,317, datedSeptember 19, 1876; application filed July 14, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known `that I, JOHN F. JOHNSON, ofCincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Door-Swings, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of swings Iwhich are capable ofbeing suspended in an ordinary doorway; and the first part of myimprovements consists in a novel construction of metallic brackets whichare secured in the upper angles of the doorframes,so as to serve as thecenters of oscillation for the swing.

These metallic brackets are each provided with two oppositely-'projecting' lugs located approximately in the plane of vibration of theswing, and are perforated to receive screws that engage with thedoor-frame, as hereinaf- J ter more fully described.

ing omitted. Fig. 2 is a perspective View,

showing the seat detached from the swing .ropes and folded up.y Fig. 3is a horizontal' section through one of the double arm-rests.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the angle-iron brackets attachedto the door-frame, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of thepla-tes that serve to suspend the seat from the swing-ropes. Of theabove illustrations Figs.

l 3, 4, and 5 are drawn on an enlarged scale.

The swing-seat A, which may be composed of canvas, leather, carpeting,or any other stout and pliable material,has its front and rear edgesattached, respectively, to rounds B and B', of which rounds the one, B,is secured to the outer pair of legs C C, while the other round, B', isconnected to the inner pair ot' legs D D. These legs are crossed in theman` ner shown, and are united at their intersec-*i tions by pivots c c.The inner pair of legs are prolonged upwardly, as at d d, which exten`sions have secured to them the back E of any suitable material. F and Fare stretchers,

which unite the lower portions of legs IC C and D D. The inner oropposing faces of these four legs have secured to them, at any suitabledistance above the pivots c c, plates G, made either of cast or wroughtmetal, each plate being furnished with an inwardly-projecting flangeorrest, H, and terminating at top with an eye, hook, or staple, I. Pins,

screws, or other supports may take the place of the rests H, andapertures in the legs C C and D D'may be employed instead of the'rings`1 for attachment of the swing-ropes. J are holes for the reception ofscrews, wherewith said plates G are secured to the seat-frame C C and DD. Pivoted or hinged near the up-` per end of legs C C, at kk, areswinging arms K K, whose rear ends rest upon the flanges H H,secured torear legs D D. Pivoted to the extensions d d at l l are other arms, L L,whose front ends rest upon anges H H of legs C C. The arms K and L areunited near their midlengths by pivot M. These stripsK L are madecomparatively thin, to economize material, and also to lessen the weightof the swing; but, by placing two strips` alongside one another, andwith their 4upper surfaces Hush, a broad and comfortable support isafforded for the oocupants arms.

A button, hook, spring or otherr retaining device, N, may be employedfor locking the arms Land K together. This device can be applied to theunder side of the arm, so as to be concealed, and not be liable to.catch the clothes ofthe occupant.

O P represent doubled ropes or lightchains, whose lower ends areprovided, respectively, with hooks o o and p p, which engage with theeyes or rings l ot' plates G, as seen in Fig. l.' Sliding upon theseropes are runners R R, capable of being shifted so as to be convenientlygrasped by the swinger. The bight of the doubled rope O P isengagedaround a hook, S, inserted in the aperture tof an anglebracket T.Each bracket 'is' provided with two laterally-projecting lugs or ears, UU', which are situated approximately in the plane `of vibration of theropes O P, as seen in Fig.

l. These lugs are perfoi ated at a a to receive screws V, wherewith saidbracket is secured in the angle of door-frame W, as represented in Fig.4. That portion of the bracket` which `hooks S S, with their attachedropes O P, are

engaged with said brackets. The folding seat 'is then opened, its arms KL are brought totheir proper bearings upon the rests H, and the hooks 00 andpp are inserted in the rings or apertures I of the seat-frame. Therunners R R being now adjusted to any convenient height,the sWing-seatAis at once ready for use, the button N- eiectually preventing any upwardmovement of the arms K L, which movement wou-ld cause the frame B B C CD D to collapse. and thereby render the seat unt for occupancy.

Evidently the oscillations of the swing would soon work the bracketsloose from the doorframe unless some special precautions were adopted toprevent. it. This defect is guarded against by providing said bracketswith the lugs U and U, which, projecting laterally and in the plane ofvibration, bracethe brackets so thoroughly as to render them perfectlysafe under all circumstances.

- To remove'the swing in order that the door :may be closed, the hooks oo andpp are first disengaged from the rings I, and the buttonN is thenswung around to permit the free ends ofthe arms K L being turned u p,which act causes the frame C G D D d d to collapse or be drawn together,as seen in Fig. 2. When in this folded condition the seat and itsaccessories can all be stowed away until the swing is to be used again.This compact folding of the seat will render my swingespeciallyconvenient for families who remove to the country during thesummer season, as said closed seat, together with its ropes, brackets,&c.,can all be packed in the bottom of an ordinary trunk and transportedto any distance.

The arms K L need not extend beyond their respective pivots M M. In thiscase each pair of arms may be secured together with a springbolt orequivalent device but the arrangement shown in the drawings is thepreferred method of constructin g the arms, because they brace theseat-frame so securely.

Evidently the seat will be perfectly secure even in case the legs 'C andD are not carried below the pivots c, and I reserve the right to modifythe invention in this manner. Such an arrangement would allow thestretchers Fy to be omitted.

The brackets T T may be made of any material.

I do not here claim the above-described folding chair which is used forthel seat of the swing; but I reserve the right to embody this device ina future application for patent.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a doorway-swing, the angle-bracketT t t,having lugs U u U u' projecting laterally,

and in the plane of vibration, substantially as herein described, andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The 'perforated plate 'G J, provided with an arm-rest, H, and asuspension-ring, I, as and for thel purpose stated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN F. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, A. P. HAGEMEYER.

